Electrochemotherapy combined with standard and CO2 laser surgeries in canine oral melanoma

Abstract

Oral melanomas commonly occur in elderly dogs resulting in darkly pigmented areas of the mouth, tongue and gums. The main object of this study was a severe melanoma diagnosed in the jaw of a 15-year-old dog and its palliative treatment with electrochemotherapy. The tumour spread throughout the jaw including bones. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) with bleomycin and calcium solution (CaCl2) was combined with standard and CO2 laser surgeries. The treatment resulted in good local control of the tumour mass after one ECT session with bleomycin and a second ECT session with calcium ions solution. ECT significantly reduced bleeding and enhanced success of the surgery. The combination of ECT with surgical debulking resulted in rapid recovery and regaining of physiological activities, including normal feeding by the dog. This case demonstrates that the protocol combining ECT and surgery is promising in palliative melanoma treatment.